


a dictionary definition

by shoutowo



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Getting Together, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, M/M, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:22:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25368304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shoutowo/pseuds/shoutowo
Summary: “Well, yeah!” Bokuto says. “When I say stuff like ‘the world’, sometimes, like, in my head, I’m really only imagining one person.”The interviewer looks like she hit the jackpot. Bokuto doesn’t notice. “Can we get a name?”-or, Akaashi is Bokuto's world. This creates more problems than it solves.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 9
Kudos: 307





	a dictionary definition

**Author's Note:**

> SCRAMBLES TO POST THIS BEFORE 402 COMES OUT AND HAIKYUU MANGA IS OFFICIALLY OVER BC HOLY FUCK IVE BEEN INTO HQ FOR ALMOST 7 YEARS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

There is one more day until Bokuto comes home. 

So predictably, Keiji’s phone had been lit up with messages from him since before he even woke up for the day. 

**Bokuto:** AKAAASHIIIII ヽ(o＾▽＾o)ノ  
 **Bokuto:** IM COMING HOME TMRW  
 **Bokuto:** DID YOU MISS ME????  
 **Bokuto:** I MISSED YOU

Keiji rolls his eyes, pushing down the feeling of fondness that seems to erupt in him. 

**> >** Don’t you have an interview in

He checks his watch.

 **> >** 5 minutes. I’m surprised you even have your phone on you

And Keiji would know. He’s been following Bokuto's career since he’s left high school. 

**Bokuto:** they were gna take it away from me  
 **Bokuto:** but THEN i said  
 **Bokuto:** YOU CANT DO THAT!! I GOTTA TEXT MY BEST FRIEND

 **> >** I thought Kuroo was your best friend

 **Bokuto:** I CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE!!!  
 **Bokuto:** AND kuroo is my best BRO

Keiji smiles.

 **> >** You can explain the intricacies for me   
**> >** But only after your interview

 **Bokuto:** (；￣Д￣)  
 **Bokuto:** fineeeeee but don’t think ill forget!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
 **Bokuto:** are u gna watch?? ^_^

 **> >** Of course Bokuto-san

 **Bokuto:** AND DROP THE HONORIFICS ALREADY (｡•́︿•̀｡)   
**Bokuto:** what kind of best friends do that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 **> >** Haha  
 **> >** Go to your interview please

 **Bokuto:** ･ﾟﾟ･(／ω＼)･ﾟﾟ･ OKKKKKK

 **> >** Thank you

There’s no response after that, presumably that Bokuto’s phone has finally been taken away. Keiji puts his phone away and turns on the television. They must have been talking for longer than they thought, because by the time Keiji flips to the channel Bokuto will be on, the man in question is already being rushed onto the set, no doubt late because of the last-minute texting session. 

Keiji has watched so many of Bokuto’s interviews that not even he’s sure how he’s able to differentiate between one and the next. 

They always start the same. 

Bokuto, dressed in either his volleyball jersey, or a nice dress shirt and pants, and hair still spiked in that ridiculous style he hasn’t let go of since high school. The interviewer says some things, Bokuto answers just as Keiji expects him too, and the crowd applauses with every yell of “HEY HEY HEY”.

Keiji has always watched them, from the official start of Bokuto’s career, and from even before that, the first match he’s played since graduating from Fukurodani. Even if Bokuto didn’t remind him every time whenever he had a match or television showing, whether or not they were in Japan at the time, Keiji is sure he would have gone out of his way to find out anyway.

It’s partly because Bokuto is his partner-turned-roommate-turned-best friend. The other part, the part that no one else will ever know but him, is the fact that Keiji has been half in love with him since his second year of high school.

It took nearly two years to come to terms with it, that he has probably been in love with one Bokuto Koutarou since that fateful day he walked into the court to join the volleyball team. 

Two years of wondering just what the skipped heartbeats meant when he saw Bokuto cheer after a spike, or when he threw an arm around Keiji’s shoulder, or when their hands came together with a satisfying clap sound after a successful spike. 

There is nothing to do about it now but live with it, Keiji supposes. And live with it he has, in the most literal sense. Being roommates with Bokuto was his own idea after all, considering his apartment was spacious enough to host another person, and Bokuto was a much better cook than Keiji ever was. 

All feelings aside, it’s been a better situation than Keiji had ever thought it would be.

He switches on the television just as the camera shows a cheering audience, followed by a shot of Bokuto and an interviewer sitting on two couches. 

“We’re all so glad you can join us today,” the interviewer says with a smile. 

“Thank you!” Bokuto says, only a little too loud. Keiji’s heart skips a beat at the bright grin on his face. “I’m glad to be here too!”

The off-screen crowd breaks into light applause. 

They go through the regular questions, talking about how his day has been (“Rewarding!”), the most recent match he’s played in (“WE WON!”), and is there anything exciting to look forward to from him (“I’m getting a sportswear line in my name!”).

Keiji watches with quiet contentment. 

If he was a lesser person, he would have pulled out his phone to take a photo of the way Bokuto smiles as he answers. He is not a lesser person, so he will wait for it to go on online before adding it onto a playlist.

“What motivates you to keep going?” The interviewer asks. “All this training, the traveling, I can imagine how draining it must get sometimes. What makes you stop and think ‘this is worth it’? What makes you want to win?”

Keiji feels a smile pull at his lips. He’d seen Bokuto answer this question dozens of times. 

“The answer to that is easy! I win for the world!” Koutarou says. He points straight at the camera, grinning wide. 

The interviewer laughs. “So you’ve said,” she says kindly. “But I have to ask. Anyone special in that, as you said, ‘world’?”

Keiji stills. They don’t usually ask about that. 

And Keiji is pretty sure that he doesn’t. Almost certain that he doesn’t. Keiji would know. In their three years of living in the same apartment together, Bokuto hasn’t brought someone home in a romantic way ever. And sure, Bokuto isn’t home _super_ often, with competitions and constant traveling, and even when he’s in Japan he’s busy with training, but Keiji would _know_. At the very least, he has full confidence that if Bokuto _was_ dating someone, he would let Keiji know. 

He manages to stop his train of thought just as Bokuto starts to answer. He laughs, and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, to be honest...”

Keiji feels his heart drop to the bottom of his chest. The interviewer, on the other hand, perks up. “Oh? Is there someone you have in mind?”

“Well, yeah!” Bokuto says. “When I say stuff like ‘the world’, sometimes, like, in my head, I’m really only imagining one person.”

The interviewer looks like she hit the jackpot. Bokuto doesn’t notice. “Can we get a name?” She asks, leaning forward almost conspiratorially. “It’s fine if you aren’t comfortable with it, though. We can move on to the next question.”

Bokuto is already waving a hand. “Of course you can get a name! It’s not a secret, especially if you ask all my old friends. He was my setter in high school actually! Akaashi Keiji!”

Keiji blanks. 

He doesn’t mean it like that, he thinks immediately. This is Bokuto, after all. Bokuto, who has never shown interest in Keiji like that. Bokuto, who’s touchy-feely and sweet on everyone and not Keiji in particular.

Knowing him, Bokuto probably meant it in the way Keiji once said it in high school, only as teammates and nothing more. To say nothing about the fact that when Keiji had said it back then, he _did_ mean more, but that was neither here nor there. 

Bokuto _definitely_ doesn’t mean it like the interviewer probably thinks. 

The interviewer continues as if she hasn’t just twisted Keiji’s life into something unrecognizable. 

“Akaashi Keiji? Can’t say I remember the name,” she says. 

Bokuto looks offended. “REALLY?! He’s the _best_.”

The interviewer laughs. “Of course you would say so,” she says teasingly. 

Keiji is dreaming. He must be. He pinches himself as hard as he can. 

“Haha, I guess so,” Bokuto says with a grin. 

Keiji has no idea what they say next. He tunes the rest of it out, barely comprehending just what is happening in front of him. 

Finally, because some higher power has finally decided to grant Keiji some form of mercy, the interview ends, and the interviewer cuts to a commercial break. 

Keiji opens his phone and immediately regrets it. 

**Kuroo:** AKAASHI DID YOU WATCH THE INTERVIEW  
 **Kuroo:** What am I saying of course you did  
 **Kuroo:** Why didn’t you tell me... your best friend... your best bro...  
 **Kuroo:** This hurts...

 **Kenma:** watched the interview  
 **Kenma:** wtf?

 **owls 5ever babey** has 238 new messages.

 **Hinata:** AKAASHI-SAN CONGRATULATIONS   
**Hinata:** I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU  
 **Hinata:** AND BOKUTO SAN  
 **Hinata:** AAAAAAAAAAAAAA  
 **Hinata:** WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 

Keiji pinches the bridge of his nose. He does what he usually does in times of crisis; he facetimes Kenma. 

He picks up on the second ring. 

“So now he calls,” Kenma says dryly. 

“It’s not true,” Keiji says immediately. “What Bokuto said. It isn’t true.”

Kenma raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure? Because last I checked, you are Bokuto’s _world_.” He says the last word with air quotes. 

Keiji blushes fiercely. “We’re not together like that.”

“I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but what was that then?”

“A misunderstanding.”

Kenma nods like it makes perfect sense. His eyes, however, tell a different story. “Sure, I’ll believe that.”

“Hey! Are you talking to Akaashi! Let me in on that,” a voice comes.

In the next moment, Kuroo’s face fills half the screen. He grins. “Akaashi, have something to share with the rest of the class?”

“It’s not true,” Kenma says. “Apparently,” he adds with a smirk. 

Kuroo raises an eyebrow. “Really?”

Keiji sighs. “If it was true, which it isn’t, I’d still be upset that Bokuto-san aired out our hypothetical relationship on live national television.”

“That’s fair,” Kuroo admits. “So if it really isn’t true, what are you going to do now?”

Keiji runs a hand through his hair. “I have no idea. Everyone is going to hear about this.”

“Don’t worry too much,” Kuroo says. “Even if it ends up on the news, how many people in Japan care about volleyball players anyway, let alone who they are or aren’t dating.”

“It’s not about that,” Keiji says. “But my friends? _Our_ friends? Everyone in our old team still keeps up with what Bokuto-san is up to. You know this.”

Kuroo sighs. “Yeah I do. But if they all keep up with Kou anyways, haven’t they already seen the interview.”

Keiji winces, recalling all the text messages he’s still not answering. 

“Sorry for bothering you both with this. I know you’ve started working longer hours, Kuroo.”

“Hey, hey, don’t feel bad about that. You can come to us with these sorts of things.”

“He came to _me_ ,” Kenma says with an eye roll. He pokes Kuroo in the cheek. “ _You_ are a trespasser.”

Kuroo grins. “A trespasser with keys to your apartment?”

“You stole them,” Kenma says simply.

Kuroo gasps, pressing his cheek against Kenma’s. “You _gave_ them to me!”

“I don't remember that.”

Keiji watches their antics silently. 

“I hate to cut this short,” Kenma says towards Keiji. The effect of the dry expression on his face is lessened by the small smile on his face when Kuroo kisses his cheek. “As you can see, I doubt this idiot will be helpful for much longer.”

Keiji huffs and represses any jealousy he feels towards his closest friends. “No, I should probably get going anyways.”

“Wait, hold on,” Kuroo says suddenly. “Have you called him about this? Kou, I mean.”

“I should,” Keiji says with a sigh. “After this.”

“Knowing him, he’s been trying to call you the entire time we were on _this_ call,” Kenma says. 

Keiji rolls his eyes, but doesn’t disagree with them. “Goodbye, the both of you.”

It’s not even half a minute after that Bokuto’s contact photo fills his screen indicating a call. It’s better to just get it over with, Keiji thinks to himself. 

“Akaashi!” Bokuto says before Keiji can get in a hello. “Did you see me!”

Keiji feels something that is eerily close to resignation settle into his chest. His cheery voice tells Keiji all he needs to know; Bokuto really didn't mean anything by that interview answer. “I did. About that, Bokuto-san,” he starts. 

“I wasn’t expecting it to go so long! When they told me before, they said that the interview would only last ten minutes, because they knew I had to go to bed because of the flight home tomorrow—”

“Bokuto-san.”

“—but then it ended up lasting twenty minutes?! I guess the interview must have really liked me, huh? But lemme tell you ‘Kaashi, I am _so glad_ to be coming home. I miss my bed, and our bathroom, because let me tell you, even in the best hotels there’s just _something_ about the bathrooms that don’t sit right with me—”

“Bokuto-san?”

“—and I miss _you_ , and our friends, and I am _ready_ to take the biggest nap _ever_ when I finally get back. Which reminds me—”

“Bokuto-san!”

Bokuto stops talking. “Oh, sorry. I was talking all this time! Akaaaashi, you should have stopped me sooner! Did you wanna say something?”

“About the interview,” Keiji says bluntly. “You said— my name. You said that when you thought of the world, you only thought of me.”

“Well... yeah!” 

Keiji already feels a headache forming. “What do you mean, _yeah_?”

Bokuto laughs. “Well, I mean it’s true, isn’t it?”

Heat rises to Keiji’s face. “I don’t think it means what you think it means.”

He can almost hear Bokuto’s confusion. “‘Kaashi, you’re gonna have to be a bit more clear than that.”

Keiji frowns. “The interviewer was asking you if you were dating anyone. And you answered with my name.”

There’s a pause. 

“Was she really?” Bokuto asks weakly. 

“Yes,” Keiji says. “And it doesn’t help that the interview was live, meaning they couldn’t even edit it if you didn’t want to add that part in.”

“It’ll be fine Akaashi,” Bokuto says in an attempt to be reassuring. “What if they didn’t think about it like that?”

“ _Clearly they did._.”

There is silence on the other end for a long moment. 

“I apologize,” Keiji says. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”

“No, this. This probably stressed you out a lot, didn’t it. And made you like, _super_ uncomfortable. Oh god, I’m really sorry, Akaashi,” Bokuto says, and the nicer part of Keiji, the part not currently cemented in self-doubt and humiliation and mortification and all other related emotions, _that_ part of Keiji can admit to himself that it sounds like Bokuto really does mean it. “I didn’t know she was asking about a romantic partner or anything, I swear—”

“I know you didn’t, Bokuto-san.”

“Sorry ‘Kaashi,” Bokuto says again.

Keiji exhales, feeling his shoulders droop. All the exhaustion from the day hits him all at once. “This isn’t your fault. I didn’t mean to snap at you just now. I’m just really...”

“Shocked?”

“That’s one word for it,” Keiji agrees. “Why don’t we talk about what to do when you’re home? I’d rather talk face-to-face.”

“I can come back home?” Bokuto asks, surprised. 

“Where else would you go?” Keiji asks, incredulous. 

“I thought maybe you’d want me to stay somewhere else for a few days,” Bokuto admits. “I was going to make plans to stay with Kuroo, or something.”

Keiji shakes his head before he realizes that Bokuto can’t see him. “This is your home too, Bokuto-san. I’m not going to kick you out over a mistake. And... it might be better to finish this conversation there.”

“Right. Oh, in that case, you don’t have to pick me up if you don’t want to, by the way. I know you don’t really have photos of yourself anywhere, but there are probably pictures of the two of us from Fukorodani on old newspapers or something.”

Keiji feels a sharp flash of disappointment in his chest. He pushes it down. “Yeah that, that’s probably for the best.”

“I’ll just come home then. And see you there.”

Keiji cringes at the awkwardness. “I’m looking forward to it,” he ends up saying.

“Me too,” Bokuto says, and Keiji finds a little bit of happiness in just how _relieved_ he sounds that he gets to go home to Keiji, “I’ll see you at home.”

“Yeah,” Keiji agrees. He hangs up after a final goodbye. 

-

Keiji doesn’t remember how he gets any sleep that night. At some point in his restless tossing and turning, he must have though, because he wakes up disoriented and with a light headache. 

It feels too soon when he hears the jangling of keys coming from the entranceway. 

“You look tired,” is the first thing Keiji says when Bokuto finally makes it several steps inside, his luggage trailing behind him. 

And he does. Keiji just barely holds himself back from reaching out to do something like touch Bokuto’s under eyes. 

Bokuto laughs, less hearty than Keiji is used to. “Nothing can bring me down, though!”

Keiji can’t be blamed for the soft smile on his lips. “Of course. Was your flight okay?”

“As well as it could be. There weren’t any displays so I can’t complain.”

“That’s good,” Keiji says. 

Bokuto takes a deep breath. “We should probably talk. About yesterday.”

The smile drops from Keiji’s face. “We should.” He takes stock of Bokuto’s appearance again. “But if you’re too tired, there’s no reason why we can’t wait a few hours while you take a nap.”

“No, I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and it’ll probably be better if we talked first, y’know?”

“Right.”

Keiji leads the two of them to the sofa in the living room. The two of them sit and turn to face each other. 

“I’m sorry about yesterday, Bokuto-san. I overreacted,” Keiji says, if only to break the silence. “I was just — surprised. They don’t usually ask you about that. Relationships I mean.”

Bokuto shakes his head. “You don’t have to apologize for that. For what it’s worth, my manager was pretty pissed too. Pretty sure she made it clear to them they can’t ask me about who I’m dating or that sorta stuff, but. Yeah. That happened. But Akaashi. I’m really, really sorry. I wasn’t thinking when I said that.”

“It’s fine,” Keiji lies. 

“It’s not,” Bokuto insists.

Keiji doesn’t say anything to that. 

Bokuto winces. “And I’ll clear it up with everyone too. The press, and our friends, and everyone else who thought we’re dating.”

Keiji nods once. 

Bokuto looks hesitant. “Say Akaashi, can I ask you something?”

“...Alright.”

“Is there... a specific reason you were so upset? I know you were mad ‘cause everyone was making assumptions and I messed up but, I guess I was just wondering. Is it really so bad for them to think that about us?”

Keiji runs through the options. He can confess now, and risk ruining their friendship and regret this for the rest of his life. Or he can lie, and say he was so upset because he can’t stand the thought of dating Bokuto and has never once imagined Bokuto’s hand in his. It might hurt Bokuto’s feelings irreparably, and ruin their friendship regardless. 

He makes his choice fairly quickly after that. 

“Bokuto-san. I’ll only say this once, so make sure you pay attention.”

“Okay!” Bokuto says with a nod. “I’m paying attention.”

Keiji steels himself. “I love you. And that’s why the interview bothered me so much.”

Bokuto only looks confused. “But I love you too. I don’t get it.”

“Not like that, Bokuto-san. In love with you. As more than just friends.”

It takes another moment for Bokuto’s expression to clear. He coughs. “Oh, like _that_.”

“Yes, like that. You don’t have to pity me,” Keiji adds on quickly. “Or feel bad. I know you didn’t know, Bokuto-san. But if this makes you feel uncomfortable—”

“It doesn’t!”

“It’s fine if it does.”

Bokuto is just as red in the face as Keiji probably is now. “No, it doesn’t bother me. At all! You know what, maybe that interview was a blessing in disguise! Because, well.”

Keiji squints. “Are you... making fun of me?”

“NO. Akaashi, I would _never_.”

Keiji looks away. 

“What I’m trying to say is, I love you too. In a more-than-friends way.”

“You don’t have to make me feel better,” Keiji says, and sighs. “I know our feelings are different, and it’s already something I came to terms with so—”

Bokuto shakes his hand in front of Keiji rapidly. “No, no. Akaashi, I’m not just saying that. I swear! Scouts honor!”

“Isn’t that an American saying?”

“It is!” Bokuto says proudly. “Kenma taught it to me!”

Keiji nods. “Good job, Bokuto-san.”

If possible, Bokuto beams wider. “But anyways, back to what I’m saying, I’m not lying about how I feel, Akaashi. I promise. I really, really, _really_ love you. I guess I didn’t realize what I meant when I, you know, called you the world, but— but if that’s what it meant, then I wasn’t lying at all!” 

Keiji wants to believe him. He _does_. It’s just. 

Bokuto hits the palm of his hand with his fist. “What if I can prove it to you?”

Keiji raises an eyebrow. “And how do you plan to do that?”

“Well,” Bokuto says. “If you were okay with it, I thought maybe you would want to go on a date.”

“I,” Keiji starts. “Are you sure?”

“I’m a hundred million percent sure. This is like, the most sure I’ve ever been ever! I promise, ‘Kaashi.”

Keiji believes him. “Okay.”

Bokuto clears his throat. “In that case, can I kiss you?”

Keiji would be lying if he said that just the concept of it didn’t make his brain wipe out. It’s something that hasn’t even crossed his mind, considering he’s already long since accepted the fact that his feelings will never be returned. 

And yet here they are. 

Not even hours later will Keiji be able to remember who leaned in first. 

Here’s what he expects: Something as loud and overwhelming as Bokuto is. A kiss like they see in the movies, where they grapple to touch as much of the other person as they can, and something happens with tongue and teeth and by the end of them, both of them will be completely out of breath. 

Here’s what he gets instead: Hands placed carefully on either side of his face, fingers shaking against his face, and lips chastely pressed against his. 

Keiji has never kissed anyone. He’s never dated anyone either. 

Not by lack of options, though. He knows he has a reasonably handsome face, pretty enough that he had a fair number of girls pulling him out of class to confess to him behind the trees. But even if they were the right gender for Keiji to be properly interested, Bokuto was there. And dating anyone who wasn’t Bokuto Koutarou seemed too underwhelming for it to even be a prospect. Not that dating Bokuto was in the cards either. 

All to say, he has no idea what constitutes a good kiss. Or a bad one. He doesn’t know if his lips are doing the right thing, if his arms are in the right places. 

Keiji holds himself back from stopping the kiss to ask if Bokuto has any idea either. 

Regardless, for better or for worse, Bokuto’s kisses aren't what Keiji expects in the slightest. 

Bokuto is the first to pull away in what feels like an eternity later with a rough gasp, grabbing a fistful of his own shirt. 

“Bokuto-san?! Are you alright?”

Bokuto takes another rough breath. “Forgot— forgot to breathe,” he pants out. 

Keiji can’t help it; he bursts out into laughter, the loud grating one that only Bokuto has ever had the pleasure of hearing, and even then only on the rarest of occasions. Keiji can’t even bring himself to care. 

Bokuto’s cheeks are red from what Keiji can only guess is a mix of pleased embarrassment and lack of oxygen. “Well? Did I prove it?”

“Yeah,” Keiji says once he finally manages to catch his breath. 

Bokuto grins, and wraps his arms around Keiji’s waist and pulls him until they are practically flush against each other. “So... Are we dating?”

“Are you alright with that?”

Bokuto nods quickly. 

Keiji laughs softly. He ignores the wide-eyed look Bokuto gives him as a result. “Alright then. We’re dating?”

“Will you stop using honorifics for me now?” Bokuto asks hopefully. 

“Maybe, Bokuto-san.”

Bokuto whines.

Keiji smiles. 

“So what should I tell my manager tomorrow?” Bokuto wonders. “She kind of chewed me out after we got off the phone yesterday, so.”

Keiji rolls his eyes, and pulls Bokuto down to kiss him again.

**Author's Note:**

> when i say i wrote this fast...  
> also as usual no proofreading or betaing so im posting this w o looking back hahahahahahahahaha
> 
> currently [ here](https://twitter.com/jajvnken) while my twt accs r locked 0-(-(


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